


Leather & Lace

by Amateur_Sketch



Category: Grand Theft Auto Series (Video Games)
Genre: Abandonment, Attempted Rape/Non-Con, Biker Gangs, Casual Sex, Crimes & Criminals, Discussion of Abortion, Drug Use, Eventual Romance, F/M, Female Bikers, Female Protagonist, Liberty City, Motorcycle clubs, Native American Character(s), Pregnancy, San Andreas, Sexual Content, Underage Drinking, Unplanned Pregnancy
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2019-01-21
Updated: 2019-02-20
Packaged: 2019-10-14 02:42:14
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 2
Words: 8,441
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/17500049
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Amateur_Sketch/pseuds/Amateur_Sketch
Summary: From the streets of Alderney to the desert sands of San Andreas, Jessie Mason's life was always a little bit crazy. After a fight with her parents, seventeen-year-old Jessie runs away from home and joins the Angels of Death, seeking shelter with them. They're not perfect, but as time goes on, she begins to see them as family. However, when the AoD's president dies suddenly and suspiciously, she's forced to flee after learning of the corruption within the Angels.Years pass and she becomes the president of her own motorcycle club known as The Steel Roses. As her club gains notoriety, she'll gain a reputation as one of the most dangerous women in Liberty City and Alderney. Nothing can slow her down except maybe a broken man named Johnny Klebitz.





	1. Not so Humble Beginnings: Part I

**Author's Note:**

> So, I've decided that you lovely people over on Ao3 will be getting a sneak peek at my latest story, Leather & Lace. I was happy to see that you loved Shadows of the Night, although I was disappointed that most of my readers didn't like Jessie. That being said, I understood where some of you were coming from. Back when I started Shadows, I didn't plan on Jessie playing a major role and sometimes I simply forgot to add her to a chapter. Which is why her character was so underdeveloped but as time went on, I thought about writing a prequel/spin off to Shadows about Jessie and who she is and why she did some of the things she did. 
> 
> So here it is, Leather & Lace 
> 
> Enjoy!

**Part One:**

_**18 & Life** _

 

 **Song:** _Edge of Seventeen ~_ Stevie Nicks 

 

**Alderney, 2018**

The cemetery was peaceful this time of day. A gentle breeze carried the scent of wisterias and morning glories through the area. The aroma brought her a moment of comfort as she knelt down in front of the grave of a man who, in life, brought her both misery and joy. Now that he was gone and had been for some time now, she often reflected on their brief time together. He was a broken and she a very flawed woman. They clicked, both understanding how harsh life could be and how unfair it all was. Both grew up in poverty, but she could argue that his life had been better than hers. His parents were far more supportive than hers ever could have been. They were two fucked up people who tried to make their lives seem somewhat normal for the sake of the only other person who mattered in their lives: their son.

It was hard to pinpoint exactly when she fell for him, but if she had to guess, she'd say it was when he'd wrapped his arms around her after one of their many hookups. He was asleep and hadn't known he'd done it, but that simple act made her heart flutter as his warmth spread to her own body. Once, she asked him when he'd fallen for her and he admitted he wasn't sure; it just happened one day.

She moved from a kneel to a sitting position, relieving the stress in her joints. Another sign she was getting old. All those years of fast living and hard partying were finally catching up to her. At thirty-eight, she spent more nights in than going out with friends. She also spent a lot of time reminiscing of her younger years, especially on days like these that reminded her of the night she made a life-changing decision.

Looking over the name etched in stone once more, she felt herself slipping back to her younger years, remembering the night she ran away and the years that followed up to her meeting the love of her life.

_Johnny Klebitz_

_October 29, 1974 - September 17, 2013_

_Brothers for life, Lost forever_

* * *

**Madison, Liberty 1998**

The clock on the wall ticked by slowly as the seniors at Madison High awaited for the final bell to ring. It was their last day of school, not only for the summer but forever. They were leaving the shallow end of adulthood and diving head-on into the deep end. Most would go away to college, while others would stay behind, get jobs, maybe go to a trade school, or marry their high school sweethearts.

For Jessie Mason, however, she wanted none of those things. Having barely passed school by the skin of her teeth, Jessie knew she would never be the college type and even if she wanted to go it didn't matter. Her parents had made it perfectly clear they couldn't afford it. It was a waste of money anyway. She had convinced herself of that long ago.

All she wanted was to hop on her motorcycle and ride off into the sunset. She wanted to head for the West Coast, and live somewhere where no one knew who she was. From what she heard, the beaches in San Andreas were nicer than the ones on the East Coast.

Jessie's pencil rapidly tapped the desk as she watched the red second hand move slowly around the clock. With each lap, it grew closer to that final minute. A second longer was a second too long for her. Since she was small she hated school. If she wasn't teased for her hair, it was the stains on her unwashed clothes or the fact sometimes she smelled because her parents couldn't pay on the water. The teachers back then could often be cruel as well. Some pulled her hair, twisted her arms, yelled in her face, or tied her in the chair. As she got older, the teachers were less abusive but still negligent except for a few who she liked.

At least she had Lester...

She thought about her boyfriend and counted down the days she'd get to see him again. Lester Arnold was a member of the Angels of Death and Jessie was crazy for him. Maybe it was too soon to have these feelings, but she couldn't help herself. With his light brown hair, dark blue eyes, a strong jawline, and those muscles how could she not fall in love? Her parents shit bricks when they found out about him, but she didn't care what they thought. Sure he looked big and scary on the outside, but really he was a teddy bear. Maybe in time, her parents would come around and like him but that was never going to happen.

Behind her, some kid was snoring. Next to her, a boy she made out with last year read an Impotent Rage comic. What a nerd, Jessie couldn't help but think.

All around her were people she never really liked. People who deemed her white trash without even bothering to try and get to know her. She once spoke with her mom about the problem, but instead of sympathy, her mom told her it was her own fault for being so unapproachable. Well after today she wouldn't have to deal with these people anymore. No more test, no more preppy cunts making remarks as she passed them in the hall, and no more parents bitching about her grades. After that final bell, it was all over.

She blew an unruly curl from her face and gave her itchy scalp a scratch. It was times like these she hated her hair the most. A hairstylist once told her that curly and frizzy hair was the itchiest.

"Oh my, God. Could you not do that while I'm next to you?" Jessie turned her head to see Amanda Jenkins, one of the "it girls", sneering at her in disgust. The girl wore a velvet-like, lime green tracksuit and her hair was light brown with frosted highlights. It was a huge contrast to Jessie's flannel clothes and ripped jeans. "You're so gross. No wonder only dirty bikers date you." Amanda added.

In response, Jessie leaned closer to the bitch and rapidly raked her nails over her scalp before flicking her hair and dandruff flakes towards Amanda. The girl frowned and turned away from Jessie.

 _"Ew!_  Future stripper."

Jessie ignored her and began to doodle on her notebook, drawing stars and little hearts with Lester's name on them.

Her eyes flicked to the clock again. Almost there.

_Come on, hurry the hell up._

_Tick, tick, tick…_ the bell rang, signaling the day was over. The teacher jerked awake and tried to get her students attention, but it was too late.

Jessie was the last out of the classroom and the first to leave school. She didn't have any friends to cling to and cry as the other girls did, but she didn't care. She couldn't understand how they could be sad when they were finally free! What idiots. They've already peaked and now it was all downhill from here on out.

The junior high wasn't far from the high school so Jessie made the short trek to the other building. It was a routine for her. Every day after school, Jessie, her sister Amber, and her sister's friend, Lily, walked home together. She thought about sticking around town a few more years for Amber's sake, but she wasn't sure if she could do it. Amber was a tough kid; She could handle herself, right? Amber was old enough to be home alone now and besides, she couldn't rely on Jessie forever. She was becoming restless.

Jessie made it to the Junior high and looked around for Amber and Lily Bedard, but the two girls were nowhere in sight. It wasn't uncommon for them to be late, but she assumed that because it was the last day of school those two would have been the first to leave the building. It wasn't exactly like they loved school.

Somewhere nearby, she heard girls chanting and taunting someone so she decided to go investigate.

"Leave her alone!" that was Amber.

Jessie noticed a crowd of eighth-grade girls surrounding Amber and Lily. As she got closer she saw Amber standing in front of Lily, shielding her from the taunts of the other children.

"What's goin' on here?" Jessie asked.

"They're picking on Lily!" Amber replied.

"She's nasty!" a girl said.

Lily's face was hidden behind her backpack and her shoulders shook as she silently cried. Jessie's eyes flicked from her to the crowd.

"Why are they picking on her?" Jessie asked Amber. Amber motioned for Jessie to lean in closer and whispered in her ear what was going on. Jessie didn't react to what she had just learned. After straightening herself, she untied the red and black plaid shirt around her waist and gave it to Amber. "Here, tie this around Lily and we'll make sure she gets home to clean up." She turned to the other girls. "What the hell are you bitches starin' at? Ain't ya got homes to go to or somethin'?" Her Broker accent always came out thick when she was angry.

The girls continued to taunt Lily while Amber helped her wrapped the shirt around her waist.

"Look the blood is everywhere!" another girl before cackling.

Jessie scowled at the others and said, "Clear out and go home before I make all of yous redheads."

The girls moved away from them, giving Lily the space she needed.

"Thank you," Lily said meekly.

"You want to go back inside and clean up? Did your mom buy you any pads or tampons?" Jessie asked.

Lily shook her head. "I didn't bring my overnight clothes because I planned on coming over later and Annette never bought me anything. She said I had another year to go before… before I started."

Annette Bedard was Lily's step-mother and a total bitch in Jessie's opinion. The woman was insane, expecting Lily to be feminine and frowned on anything the girl liked that was deemed too boyish. She bought expensive clothes and guilt-tripped her step-daughter if she so much as got a spot on her clothing.

"It's alright kid, we'll get ya home."

What was typically a thirty-minute walk felt much longer as the hot summer sun beat down on them. With Jessie in the front, the younger girls walked side by side whispering to each other. She caught little snippets here and there of what they were saying and wanted to give her two cents on their gossip. However, she chose to stay out of it. That was their business and besides, she had other things on her mind.

As they passed rows of cornfields and cow pastures along the dirt road they had walked so many times, Jessie's mind began to wander as it always did. She thought of the party she would be going to later that night and hoped her best friend, Stacey Bowers, wouldn't invite Jared Anderson.

Jessie used to think he was cool, but as she got to know him, she thought he was creepy. There was something off in his eyes and sometimes she thought she heard him muttering to himself. All she really knew about him was that he came from a rural town in Alderney and after a few run-ins with the law there, he moved to Liberty. He talked about hitting his little sister until she cried and laughed about it. One day he asked her if she liked cats. She answered yes and that's when he told her about the cat he used to have. When asked what happened to it, he replied with little emotion: "I killed her." After that, she went out of her way to avoid him. Besides, the dude was twenty-five and making "old enough to bleed, old enough to breed" joke. Gross.

Stacey said she couldn't see Jared doing things like that. She told Jessie it was all shock value as Jared was a "teddy bear", but Jessie knew better. The real reason Stacey liked him so much was the fact that he and his brother were drug dealers who sold meth, cocaine, weed. Stacey was going through some weird hard drug phase that Jessie hoped her friend would grow out of soon.

She didn't want to think about that weirdo anymore or the sick shit he was into.

The Bedard ranch was in sight as they reach the top of the hill.

"I hope Annette won't be mad at me," Lily whimpered.

Jessie looked over her shoulder. Lily was looking down at the dirt road, trying to fight back tears.

"Why would Annette be mad at you?" Jessie asked.

"Because these jeans are expensive and she said I better not ruin them."

"She's can't be mad at something you couldn't help," Amber said.

"But she might be!" Lily's voice broke and she began to cry.

They stopped and tried to calm her down, but there wasn't much they could do for her except let her cry. Amber hugged Lily as her body shook with sobs. Amber looked up and gave Jessie a worried look. To Jessie, Lily was a flower in name as well as spirit. She was delicate, soft, and pretty to look at, but like a flower, she could easily be trampled on and wither away if she wasn't well protected and taken care of.

Amber whispered reassurances to her friend and eventually, the Lakota teen calmed down. Minutes later they were at the Bedard ranch. Amber followed Lily inside, promising Jessie she'd return later on.

She arrived at the tiny house she dwelled in with her family close to four o'clock. Her eyes swept over the property and she felt a sense of defeat looking at it. The yard was kept clean but the house was a disaster to look at and inside wasn't any better. The walls were stained yellow from her mother's chain-smoking, the floor was covered in holes and patched over with pieces of wood which left big squares popping up in the carpet, the linoleum floors in both the kitchen and bathrooms were falling apart, the toilet wobbled, her bedroom that she shared with her sister was covered in holes from the previous owner punching them, the roof leaked, the power occasionally surged, and no matter how hard they tried to keep the place clean, bugs infested the house.

Jessie was glad that she barely had any friends. Fewer people to show her disaster of a house to. At least Stacey was understanding. They were both trash and trash stuck together. She internally cringed at the thought of Lily seeing this mess, but if it bothered the girl, she never showed it.

Jessie pushed her feelings aside and walked up the gravel driveway to the hellhole she called home. She found her dad, Greg Mason, working on the car. Tucked away in the corner was her orange Western Bagger, her only ticket to freedom.

"Hey, Pops," she greeted.

Greg looked up from his work, his arms still deep in car innards, and said in a thick Broker accent, "School's out already?"

"It's four o'clock. Today was my last day of school. Forever."

He gave a nod and withdrew his hands from the motor. Grabbing a rag off the window wipers, he began to wipe off his hands, though it wasn't doing any good.

"So, my girl finally graduated. Didn't think you'd ever accomplish that."

His words stung but she laughed it off.

"Yeah, well, I'm full of surprises," she said.

He laughed and patted her shoulder. "I'm proud of ya though. Got ya diploma?"

She nodded and swung her backpack closer to her front. She unzipped it and took out the dark red leather bound case containing her future. He leaned in for a closer look.

"If I didn't know any better, I'd say this was a forgery."

Jessie giggled. "Come on, Dad, gimme some credit."

He smiled at his daughter while she put her diploma back in her bag.

"Are ya celebratin' tonight?" he asked.

"I plan on it. Stacey is throwin' a party tonight."

He raised a brow and become concerned. "A party? That boyfriend of yours isn't gonna be there, is he?"

And here she thought they could get along and have a conversation without her life choices being thrown in her face.

"His name's Lester and no, he won't. He's busy."

"Must be really important if he has to ignore his girlfriend."

"If he did see me, you'd complain about that too," she replied with her hands on her hips.

Sensing an argument was coming, her father changed the subject. "Your mother's inside. You might wanna go say hi to her. Oh, and Jessie, I hope you won't be staying here long. Times are gettin' tough and we can't afford to take care of you."

"Don't worry, Dad, I'll find another job."

"May have to work two. We had to write a hot check the other day."

Jessie nodded, annoyed that she would have to pay because they were bad with money. Arguing wasn't worth it though, so she turned and walked inside. She took the back door which led to the hallway and her bedroom. Her mom was watching  _The Perry Springfield Show_  at top volume and occasionally making comments on what was going on. It was the same premise every episode: Some obese trailer park queen was fucking a scrawny dude who supposedly served time in prison but she knew that if he really did, he would have left in a body bag. Scrawny trailer trash dude would come on stage in his best thrift store clothes and listen as his oh-so-lovely girlfriend of two and half weeks confess that she's fucking his best friend who is also a scrawny ex-con. They fight, the crowd chants "Perry! Perry!" and then the security breaks up the fight. At the end, Perry has a few thoughtful words for his audience. Rinse, lather, repeat.

Jessie didn't see how her mom could watch that garbage, but it was better than watching Opal, she guessed.

Tabby Mason sat on the couch, her chubby legs tucked underneath her. In one hand she held a carbonated beverage and in the other, a cigarette.

"Where's Amber?" Tabby asked.

"Helping Lily out. She'll be by later."

"She's always up that Indian's ass. Might as well let her live there."

_You'd like that wouldn't you? One less burden in your life._

But instead of speaking her mind like she wanted Jessie said, "It was an emergency. A  _girl_  emergency…"

Tabby simply nodded and flicked ash into a half-eaten cereal bowl. The white smoke billowed high enough to reach Jessie's nostrils, making her sneeze and burning her throat.

Because of Tabby Mason's chain-smoking, Jessie grew to hate cigarettes and smokers in general. Sure, she herself smoked pot but weed, in her opinion, was far less harmful than tobacco. At least weed was all natural, unlike cigarettes that contained all sorts of chemicals, but in her parents' eyes, cannabis was evil. Sometimes her parents could be ridiculous.

"You goin' to graduation?" Tabby asked.

Jessie made a face and shook her head.

"It's for the best. I didn't want to go out anyway."

_Of course you didn't…_

"I'm going to Stacey's party instead," Jessie replied.

Tabby took another drag on her cigarette and blew the smoke out of the corner of her mouth. She tried to keep the smoke away from her daughter's face but it managed to drift Jessie's way regardless. Jessie tried her best not to cough, but it came out anyway. Her mother rolled her eyes and flicked more ash.

"Back in my day, us kids took more risk than your generation. Sometimes I think that's a bad thing because you are all a bunch of pussies that can't even stand a bit of cigarette smoke. Why my mom smoke and drank while she was pregnant with me and I turned out just fine. Now me, I couldn't even have a beer without the doctor threatening to call CPS."

"Lucky you. I should have been a boomer because I was born in the wrong generation…" Jessie retorted.

Tabby ignored her daughter's snarky response. "Either way, I'm proud of you. You graduated school and you aren't pregnant. Wait… you aren't pregnant are you?"

"No, mom." Jessie resisted an urge to sigh loudly.

Later that evening, Amber returned with Lily who now had a fresh pair of clothes and her overnight bag. It turned out that Annette didn't pitch that big of a fit over Lily's period, but she still managed to make the girl feel ashamed of her body's natural function. Jessie figured she'd have to give Lily and Amber "the talk" later because both of their mothers failed to do so.

Once her make-up was applied and she dressed in more revealing attire, Jessie grabbed her purse and dashed out the door without telling her parents goodbye. Tonight was going to be the party to end all parties, she just knew it!

 


	2. Not So Humble Beginnings: Part II

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Chapter Track: Runaway Train ~ Soul Asylum

"I can't believe you actually finished school," Stacey said as she took two beers from the garage fridge.

Jessie shrugged and took a beer from her friend. "I barely passed. Not that I give a shit…"

The party as it turned out was just a small get-together. Stacey had only invited a few people who were high school dropouts like she was and one kid who immigrated from Eastern Europe named Jelena. Her accent was thick, making her hard to understand her at times.

Stacey Bowers leaned against the fridge with her arm across her torso and a beer in her other hand. Her short hair was dyed black, which matched her dress, lipstick, and nails. Her eyeshadow stood out against her creamy white skin, giving her the appearance of a corpse. When she walked anywhere her long unshapely dress would have a flowing like appearance to it. Most kids in school were afraid of her, the teachers didn't like her, and her parents were the only people who cared for her. Jessie didn't care much for her when they first met, but over time the two bonded. While she wouldn't exactly say she loved Stacey, Jessie enjoyed her company and Mr. and Mrs. Bowers were always nice to her. At one point they hoped she would be a good influence on Stacey. Ha!

Stacey took a swig and set the bottle behind her on the workbench. Behind Jessie, Marcus and Jason, who were Stacey's fellow drop-out friends, were teaching Jelena how to play pool. Judging by the way the boys were sizing up her body they weren't doing it out of the kindness of their hearts. The foreign teen tried to keep up, but she wasn't doing a great job. Jessie didn't talk to the girl often, but she could see sadness behind Jelena's dark blue eyes. Stacey once mentioned that Jelena's boyfriend or whatever he was to her, died in the war and she couldn't get over him.

"I don't hit the 8-ball?" Jelena asked.

Marcus laughed. "No. You would scratch if you did."

"Scratch what?"

The boys looked at each other and laughed. Jessie felt sorry for the girl as she slowly realized they were making fun of her.

"Why did you invite her here?" Jessie whispered to Stacey. "They're picking on her and being creepy."

"How was I supposed to know?" Stacey replied with a shrug. "Besides, I have something in store for her."

"Like what?"

Stacey grinned. "You'll see, it'll be hilarious."

Jessie didn't like where this was going.

One of the boys stopped playing pool long enough to put in a GG Allin cassette tape. A song Jessie didn't recognize with crude lyrics blasted through the speakers of the busted radio.

"Hell yeah! Now it's a party!" Jason shouted over the music.

Jessie cringed at the terrible music playing. She hated their awful taste in music and couldn't believe there were people who still listened to this guy. She assumed his music died out when he did. She'd rather hear Marilyn Manson than GG Allin. That was something else that they lacked in common. Stacey liked Manson and Rob Zombie, but Jessie preferred Skid Row and Ozzy.

"God, Jessie, you're so stuck in the past with your weird taste in music," Stacey would say.

Not wanting to hear it anymore, she took her beer and stepped out for fresh air.

Outside, she stood under the amber glow of a "street" lamp placed in the backyard. She took a sip of beer while she thought about her future. The decision to leave now or stay for a few more years continued to plague her mind. Madison was a suffocating town with suffocating people, but she didn't want to abandon Amber.

_I can't let other people hold me back from what I want._

She stepped out from under the light, getting a better look at the stars. Tomorrow, she'd count the money she had saved during her time at the local grocery store and then leave as soon as her eighteenth birthday came up. She'd have to find a new job and try not to get caught smoking weed on her break. That was how she lost her last one.

Eventually Stacey and the others joined her outside, cheap boombox and all. By then Jelena had started walking home. Stacey tried convincing the girl to stay at the party, but Jelena insisted her mother needed her. Jessie thought of offering the girl a ride home but she seemed scared of Jessie so she hung back. Jelena would be fine, at least she hoped so.

"Quit being a stick in the mud," Stacey said.

Jessie finished her second beverage and was working in her third. This "party" wasn't as fun as she hoped.

"I have a lot on my mind," Jessie confessed.

"It must be bad if you're not having fun. Wanna talk about it?"

Jessie picked at the label on her beer and said, "I'm not sure if I should leave town or not. I've wanted this freedom for years but now I have it and... I don't know what to do with it and sometimes I feel guilty at the thought of leaving my sister. Fuck, I dunno."

"Amber will be fine. She's the golden child, remember? She'll get a bunch of scholarships and get far away from here just like you. Besides, it's not like your folks are abusive."

"True, but they don't really care about us."

"If it makes you feel better, I'll look out for Amber."

"I'd rather stay here," Jessie replied.

They both laughed, but Jessie's was forced.

"More like neglectful, but I guess you're right."

Stacey patted Jessie on the back. "Glad we had this talk. Now stop worrying and have fun."

Jessie smiled. "You're right, fuck it all and have fun."

So she drank, smoked weed, and finally relaxed. Her worries seemed to melt away with the unhealthy coping mechanisms she took part in. The others did coke by the pool, something Jessie turned her nose up at. The thought of doing hard drugs frightened her. She figured those D.A.R.E. scare tactics worked after all.

While Jessie hadn't become wildly drunk like she usually did, she knew she wasn't in a state to drive. Besides, her parents would kill her if they smelled the alcohol on her breath. She stopped after her sixth beer and stuck to a chocolate soda she found in the fridge. It wasn't what she expected but maybe it would get the booze off her breath.

Things seemed to go pretty well until that Anderson kid showed up. Her excitement melted away, and she sobered up at the site of his beat up 70s model truck. Jared and Keith Anderson jumped out of the pickup, whooping and laughing. Great. Just great. She didn't need this asshole and his twin brother coming around on a night that she was supposed to be relaxing. It was bad enough the boys were glad to see them, so it was rather disgusting to see Stacey run over and actually hugged them!

Jessie slipped out of the light and into the darkness, staying as close as she could to the house. She finished her drink and moved for the garage to think of an escape plan before they saw her.

She reached into her pocket, found her keys, and thought out her exit plan. Tracey would know she was lying though and was the type to call her friend out in public for it. Most of the time, Jessie could handle it, but tonight was different. That Anderson kid made her skin crawl and the sooner she got out of here, the better.

 _Stop being a pussy! He can't do shit to you!_ She tried reasoning with herself.  _But it is almost time for me to go. I promised Dad I'd be back before midnight._

It wasn't like she hadn't disobeyed her parents before. They told her to do something, and she refused. Why should she listen to them when they brought her into this world and then had the nerve to bitch about how much it cost to raise her! Not to mention the creepy babysitters Jessie and Amber were often left with.

"Hello! Earth to Jessie!"

Jessie blinked and turned to see Stacey standing beside her.

"What are you doing in here? The fun is outside. Jared brought the good stuff to the party," Stacey said with a grin.

Jessie raised a brow. "The good stuff?"

"Yeah, you  _know_ …"

Jessie didn't know, and she didn't really care by this point.

Stacy grabbed Jessie by her elbow and tugged on her to follow. Reluctantly, she followed her friend back outside.

The boy had shouted the real fun had began now that the Anderson brothers were here, but for her it felt as if it had deflated. She wanted to run away but Stacey made her sit down in a broken lawn chair and gave her another beer. Jessie set it aside and tried to focus on something else. They played GG Allin again and then Hank Williams Jr right after that. Jessie wished her ears would bleed so she wouldn't have to hear garbage.

_This party is a total bust. I think I'll excuse myself soon._

Jared Anderson watched her like a lion watched an injured baby impala. Even when he was talking to someone else, he still eyed her and Jessie hated it. Her skin crawled every time he grinned at her. Slowly as the time passed, he inched his way to her, ignoring that the last time they saw each other, she told him to fuck right off. Getting mad and fighting back against him was amusing to him and only fueled him. It surprised her in a way. Most men knew when to leave her alone after pissing her off but Jared seemed to enjoy it. Like it was all a game of cat and mouse. Sadly, Jessie was the mouse and she hated that. She was the mouse once before when she was little and swore she would never allow that to happen again. Especially when it came to this douche bag.

It was when she stopped watching him for a minute did he pounce on her. He draped his arm around her and pulled her close.

"Hey, Jessie," he breathed in her ear. "I caught you watching me."

She jerked away. "Hey, Jared, what's up?"

"Me," he said with a grin.

She gave a nervous laugh and turned away, only for him to grab her arm again. "I want to talk with you in private. I brought coke we could share."

"I don't do hard stuff. Sorry, man."

Jared's hand brushed her ass, and she gave a tiny yelp in surprised. "You'll like my hard stuff."

"Goodbye, Jared!"

When it was all becoming too much for her, she excused herself and went into the kitchen(she was the only guest allowed in the house that night) and had a glass of water to help soothe her.

_Stop worrying about that idiot. He can't do anything to you…_

After two more glasses of water, she used the bathroom. Once she finished, she washed her hands. Someone had come in and was rummaging around in the kitchen. One rule that night was no one could come inside except to use the bathroom. That excluded Jessie because the Bowers trusted Jessie and viewed her as family. She wished she could live with them instead of her parents. The Bowers were not as a poor as hers and they were much more accepting and loving of their children than the Masons. They probably would take her in if she asked, but she didn't want to impose. For now, it was only wishful thinking.

She was drying her hands off when footsteps made their way down the hall and towards the bathroom. Maybe it was Stacey coming in to check on her. Someone knocked softly on the door.

"I'll be right out, Stace."

They knocked again.

"I said, I'll be right out."

Stacey could be such an ass.

Another knock. This one louder than before.

"Knock it off!" she said growing annoyed.

She opened the door and her heart leapt in her throat. Jared stood there, towering over her in the doorway. What the fuck did he want now?

_I'm not afraid of this guy. He's nothing but a bitch._

"The bathroom is free now," Jessie said in her bitchiest tone.

He wasn't moving.

"Um, hello, I need to get by!"

"I wasn't in here to use to bathroom. I want something else," Jared replied.

Jessie glared at him and tried to steady her racing heart.

"Well, you ain't gettin' it!" she snapped.

She tried pushing past him, but he pushed her back into the bathroom before stepping in and locking it behind him. She lost her footing on a small rug and would have busted her head on the toilet had she not caught the sink. Her legs tried to do the splits, but she found her footing again.

Now she was more pissed than scared.

"What the fuck, asshole!" she growled.

Without a word, he grabbed her wrist and pulled her against him. He moved them both to the wall where he pinned her. Now he had both of her wrists clasped tightly in his hands. He was stronger than she thought, sending her into a panic.

"Let go of me or I'll scream!"

He pressed his lower half against hers and he rubbed his hard-on against her thigh.

"You do that. You scream as loud as you want because I like when they put up a fight."

He put his lips on hers and kissed her hard on the mouth. Her stomach lurched as she tasted snuff and the smell of feet. From the looks of his teeth, he didn't brush either, making this all more disgusting. She thrashed about hoping to get free, but it was useless.

He pulled away from her grinning. She saw the wild look in his eyes, no doubt brought on by the meth in his system.

"Come on, baby, give me some tongue," he growled.

Jared bent down to kiss her again and this time she bit his bottom lip hard enough she tasted blood. She felt the crunch of her teeth going deeper into the soft flesh of his lip. It was only then she let go, and he went sailing back, howling in pain. The bathroom was too narrow for her to give him a good kick to his junk so this would have to be enough.

Jessie ran for the bathroom door and turned the knob to unlock it, but a hand took a fist full of her hair and jerked her backward.

"You fucking bitch! When I get done with you, you'll regret doing that shit," he snarled in her ear.

He twisted her hair to her scalp and didn't stop until a whimper escaped from her.

"We've been gone too long," Jessie said. "They'll come looking for us."

Jared chuckled. "Not hardly. They're all too stone out of their minds to give a shit."

He spun her around for him to look at her. Blood was running down the side of his mouth. He must have a high pain tolerance if his wasn't bothering him as much as Jessie had hoped for. In the next instant, Jessie stomped her foot down on Jared's, making him cry out. She back away, giving herself enough space between them to give him a sucker punch to the face. This time, he was the one to slip on the rug and fall back against the toilet. His arm hit the tank and broke the lid.

While he rolled around to get up, Jessie turn away and ran for the door. She yanked it open and ran down the hall, into the kitchen and out the back door.

Outside, her friends were on the deck, still high. Stacey saw Jessie's small frame run from across the porch and down the steps. She lazily pushed herself off the chair and made her way to her friend.

"I need to get out of here!" Jessie cried.

"Jessie, what the fuck happened in there? I heard Jared yelling and I think he broke something. Whatever you did is gonna make my parents pissed off at me!" Stacey chided.

Jessie had her hands on the Bagger handlebars, ready to leave. Stacey's words made her stomach twist. How could her friend be so cold? Jessie wanted to grab the gothic bitch by her dress collar and smash her face in.

"Your so-called friend just put his hands on me! Maybe if you didn't want to get in trouble, you wouldn't invite people like the Anderson brothers over."

The rest of the party was standing behind Stacey including Keith Anderson. His eyes glittered with hatred as he stared Jessie down.

"She's lying!" Jared shouted over the balcony. "She's fucking lying! She tried to fuck me for a bump of coke. When I said no," he pointed to his injury. "She did this to my lip."

"It was self-defense!" Jessie shouted.

"Bullshit!" Keith said. "We know what kind of girl you are. We heard stories!"

"Stacey…" Jessie's voice was wavering.

"I mean… you  _do_ have that reputation," Stacey replied.

Jessie felt hurt and betrayed. Stacey knew Jessie was still a virgin and even if she wasn't, it didn't erase that Jared Anderson tried to rape her.

"Look what she did to me, Stace!" Jared said.

Stacey looked up at him and said: "Go inside Jared and I'll look after you." She turned back to Jessie and said, "I think you better go."

Despite the pain in her hand from punching Jared, it didn't stop her from delivering a blow to Stacey's cheek.

"FUCK YOU THEN!" Jessie shrieked. "I'm your fucking friend and you take that asshole's side over mine?"

Stacey was lying on the ground, holding her face with a stunned countenance. Before she could answer, Jessie scoffed and turned away. She got on her Bagger and revved up the engine, drowning out Stacey's cries. She peeled out of the driveway, spraying gravel everywhere, including the people she thought were her friends.

The drive back felt as if it was taking ages. The wind on her face dried out the tears that welled up.

_Fuck all of them. After everything I did for Stacey after everything we had been through. How could she do this to this to me? And for what, so some asshole could give it to her. Well now, I see her for how she really is. I am DONE!_

She pulled off into a 24/7 station and ran straight for the bathroom. After rinsing her mouth, the taste of Jared's tobacco was still there, so she swished with soap. It was bitter and made her dry heave but it was better than nothing. Another sob escaped her. Lowering the toilet lid, she sat down, buried her face in tissue paper, and cried. She didn't know how much time passed, but sometime later, the store clerk came knocking on the door, asking if she was okay. Jessie called back saying she was fine and needed a minute. She paced the bathroom, running her hands through her hair, and taking deep breaths. After splashing cold water on her face, left the bathroom, ignoring the cashier who asked her again if she were all right.

By the time she made it home twenty minutes later, all the lights were out in the house except for Amber's bedroom. She figured the girls were still awake. She walked her motorcycle to the side of the house and parked it beneath the window. They might lock the doors, but she knew Amber always kept their window unlocked when Jessie was out.

She tapped lightly on the window to get their attention. She could see the small TV she shared with Amber. The muffled audio from an 80s Rom-Com played and the girls giggling could be heard from the other side. Jessie tapped on the window again, this time getting their attention. Amber came over and opened it.

"There you are," she whispered. "Oh man, Mom and Dad are  _so_  pissed. They're in the living-room waiting for you."

Jessie climbed in and dusted off her jeans. "I need to talk to them, anyway."

"They're really POed. Wait, are you shaking?"

Jessie looked down at her hands. She was shaking. Great.

"Are you okay?" Lily asked.

She nodded in reply. "Sure. I'm peachy. I'm gonna go talk to Mom and Dad."

"Good luck," Amber said.

Jessie gently shut the door behind her and made her way down the hall that led to the living-room. Her dad was at the counter with a can of beer in his hand and her mom was sitting at on the couch. Both were cloaked in darkness. Their only source of light was the dull amber glow of the stove light.

"Mom, Dad, I need to talk to you. Something hap-"

"Save it," Greg Mason said sharply. "Whatever your sorry excuse is this time, just save it."

"Please listen this time. Something happened at Stacey's tonight and I really need you."

Of all the people in the world, she thought maybe her parents would understand. Even though they appeared uncaring, she figured they'd loved her enough to do something about this.

"Jessie Lee, you have come home late for the last time. You're about to be eighteen and this is how you continue to behave?!" Tabby Mason added.

"Guys, please listen, someone jumped me at Stacey's!" She thought her pleading voice would cut through to them, but judging by their expressions, it wasn't working. "His name is Jared Anderson, and he tried to force himself on me! Please, we have to-"

"No more excuses!" her father roared.

Most nights she could handle his outburst, but after everything that happened tonight, she flinched away from him.

"Stop your lying right now and I mean it!" he continued. "You've had a lot of excuses but this one is just low."

"I'm not lying!" Jessie said sharply. It was taking everything in her to not bawl like a baby. Her eyes darted to her mother, hoping she would understand, but instead Tabby shook her head. "I can't believe this. First Stacey and now you guys? Why am I not surprised?"

Greg's fist came down hard, rattling it and the dishes on the stove. "Jessie, if you know what's good for you, you'll shut your mouth right now!"

Guided by hurt and anger, she stormed into the kitchen and stood a foot away from her father. In her eyes, her parents were traitors just like Stacey.

"I hate you!" she hissed.

"Go to bed and next time that loser boyfriend of yours comes around, I'll shoot his sorry ass." Her father warned.

"Like you have room to talk about who's a loser!" Jessie retorted. "You can't even pay the rent on time or put food on the table." It was out before she could stop herself, but it felt good to finally say what was on her mind. "All my life I had ratty clothes, and it's all your fault!"

He shoved her into the dishes stacked on the counter and they clattered to the floor and smashed into tiny pieces. She looked down at them, wondering if she should pick them up. As she looked up from the floor, her father's hand collided with her face and she fell onto the broken glass. Her hands burned from the cuts the glass inflicted and for a moment her mind numbed from shock and pain.

"Oh my, god, Greg, what have you done!" Tabby cried. She buried her face in her hands and sobbed, but despite her cries, she didn't move to help her daughter.

Jessie pushed herself off the floor. By now she was crying, too. After everything that happened this was the final straw.

" _ **I HATE YOU!"**_  she screamed.

"Considered that motorcycle scrapped!" Greg shouted back.

She took off towards the bathroom where she locked herself in and cried her eyes out. The cold tile on the floor soothed her burning face. Lying on the floor, she made her final decision. No longer was she going to stay here in this dump of a house or this dump of town. She was out of here and was never coming back. To hell with this place and her piece of shit parents. They never really cared and only wanted to control. Well, they wouldn't have to worry anymore. She would be one less burden in their lives.

_Amber, I'm sorry, but I have to leave._

Thirty minutes passed before Jessie moved off the floor and during that time, she could hear her parents fighting loudly. She felt embarrassed that Lily had to be here for this. When their fighting had stopped, she heard them retire to their bedroom.

It was eerily quiet in the house that night. Almost as if she was in the eye of the storm.

She tiptoed to the bedroom and gently pushed the door open. Amber and Lily were sound asleep or at least pretending they were. She took out her sleeping bag and rolled it out onto the floor, but didn't fall asleep. That night she lied there, trying to come up with the courage to leave, but where would she go? There was the city. Lester had been begging her to come live with him even though they hadn't been dating long.

They weren't even having sex yet. Sure she gave him a hand job at an Alice Cooper concert and their make out sessions got heavy but that was as far as she would allow. The first time being special sounded like bullshit to her. She could give a man a BJ or whatever, but after hearing about Stacey's first time being painful and blood getting everywhere the thought of sexual intercourse made Jessie nervous. She supposed she'd have to get over it someday, but for now, there was no harm in holding off. Poor Lester had been begging for it for weeks now and while it was tempting, her fears snuffed out her arousal every time.

She didn't want to think about sex anymore, at least not now after what just happened.

_There's nothing here for me anymore. My parents are assholes, Stacey is a bitch who stabbed me in the back for Jared's dick, and Amber has Lily to look after her. I should go west and live in San Andreas, but that's a long drive and I'm not eighteen yet. If I got pulled over, the pigs would send me back to my folks. If I do leave, I can't go very far. Would Mom and Dad call the police if I ran away? Maybe out of spite, but after a while, they would stop caring. I could live with Lester but if the cops got involved, he would be the first place they'd look and if Lester and I break up, I would be a shit out of luck. Unless… unless I join the Angels of Death. They'd look out for me. That whole brotherhood and loyalty concept sounds good and I ain't above getting my hands dirty._

Hours passed and by the time, she finally moved, the sky faded from black to a deep blue. In an hour the sun would peak over the trees. Jessie quickly and quietly moved around the room gathering enough clothes to take to with her. In her top dresser drawer, she found her change can that once held those weird straw cookies. In a sock stuffed in the corner was her cash she had been saving up. There was only $75 left, but she knew where to get more, even if it meant hurting someone.

She tucked her backpack under the bed before creeping into the kitchen where her father's wallet laid out in the open. She quickly snatched $200 before guilt took over and she put back one of the bills. After quickly stuffing it in her pocket, she picked up the phone and called Lester. His phone rang several times before he finally picked up. He sounded pissed, but once he heard how upset Jessie was, his tone quickly changed. After she explained everything that happened, he agreed to let her stay with him and sounded more than happy about it. Once she hung up, she took $25 from her dad's wallet and then crept back into the bedroom.

With her backpack in hand, she opened the window and crawled out.

"Jessie?"

She froze in place and slowly looked over her shoulder. Lily was staring back at her with her brown eyes.

"Tell no one, okay?" Jessie said.

"Will you come back?"

Jessie shook her head. "No, sorry kid, but I don't think I am. Look out for Amber for me, will ya?"

"All right," Lily whispered.

Jessie was out the window and rolling her bike down the hill. It was only at a safe distance did she start up the Bagger. She hammered it all the way to the city where a new life was waiting for her.

As Liberty City came into view, she made a vow that would never step foot in Madison again.

**Author's Note:**

> Tell me what you guys think! It's short, I know, and doesn't say but later chapters will have more meat to it!


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